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Hokitika Guardian, 14 August 1926, Page 2

Just as there are alternative forms of power production so. also are there alternative systems of dealing with the whole problem of coal production and distribution in Great Britain. The electricity scheme is just a pointer to one of the possibilities, for thereby the coal produced in mines that, allowing for transport to the ship and for overseas freight charges, cannot economic-

ally meet tlie world price of this class of fuel, could he consumed at the pithead for conversion into electrical current for consumption by the home industries, while the more easily worked mines and those conveniently situated for the export trade could continue to cated to overseas requirements. In any case, numerous and complicated processes of readjustment are both necessary and inevitable. The main point is that the problem is not one which defies theoretical solution. And as long as there is a theoretical conception of a way out, we may ho sure that necessity, hacked up by the peculiarities of Britain’s social and economic organisation (as a consequence of which the Island’s inhabitants depends for their very existence upon the overseas commerce which is its only means of the sensible, let alone profitable utilisation of its man-power) will in time do the rest. It is all very well for pessimistic onlookers to talk of Britain being a back number, to recall the fall of Rome, to rave of the Westward movement of civilsation and the rest. There are one or two bard, substantial facts by which it is possible to dispose, once and for all, of tlie theory of permanent decadence, in the industrial or any other sense, of Great Britain; Tlie first is that without a big continuity of overseas commerce the inhabitant's of the island cannot earn the wherewithal to feed and cloth themselves, even though as a last resort they were to follow tlie advice of a few self-suffi-ciency cranks who would have all the parks and golf courses of the Home country turned into corn fields, vegetable gardens or potato patches. Tlie whole theory of regional or national self-sufficiency is, in anv case, tlie most awful “bosh” imaginable at a time when the whole trend of scientific anil mechanical progress in transport, communications etc., is to • intensify the inter-dependence of nations and to facilitate interchange of everything from characteristic manufactured articles and commodities to characteristic Art—as where the music or voices of the talented musicians and singers of one country can he hoard hv rich and poor in all the countries around.

Considering these facts, is it reasonable or logical to suppose that a comfort living population comprising an army of highly skilled workmen, will allow themselves to be permanently victimised by circumstances however doleful, which it is within their power to remedy? There is no historical precedent that evens begins to prove that Britain must decay. The idea of Britain becoming truly rural is absurd, because in a practical sense the thing is impossible, except through a tremendous process of depopulation. The frame of mind which it is fitting to cultivate, not only because it is suitable to do so hut also because it is wise and sensible, is that British industries must sooner or Inter forge ahead and assume an even bigger position in world trade than they have ever occupied in the past, for the simple reason that the Country is socially, economically and geographically situated and constituted in such a. manner that although a temporary setback may he possible, permanent retrocession is an impossibility. It is true of all countries that they must either go ahead or go back. Britain is in such a. position, Industrially considered, that it cannot go hack. These are the main, broad reasons. There are the more detailed, itemised reasons such, for instance. as the awakening of a more progressive spirit in industry, the study of new practices of plant layout enabling manufacturers to cut'overhead and wastage costs. There is the electricity scheme which means that cheaper power production is being aimed at in a country so compact and sc closely settled that there, if anywhere, is the working of such a scheme possible. The great strides made by ’the artificial silk industry serve as only one example of the capital, enterprise and genius which are still at Britain’s service. Furthermore, if foreign prophets of Britain’s downfall have ever discerned ..anything of cheerful idiocy in the national spirit in the past, we may be sure that there is little of this spirit ai .'oad to-day. Rather is the national attitude one of self examination, self criticism and self correction. On all sides there is a thirsty craving to know the whys and wherefores, not out of idle, curiosity hut rather in order that where the causes are impediments they may be removed. It is something that with the general strike so recent a memory it is possible to fell, if anything more grimly confident than ever of the early emergence of Britain from its present industrial malaise.

Tin: fifth te.st cricket mutch is setdown for to-dav, hut actually it will be the first to be played out in the present tour of the Australians—that is if wo are not unduly optimistic. Jupiter Pluvious might continue to play l.is pranks, in which case another abandoned match will be recorded. In that event tho futility of the tour would be all too palpably demonstrated. The interest in the match, however, has been heightened by the team selected for England, and in particular the choice of tile captain. Tho selectors have been much criticised at every stage, but so Tar neither selector nor critic have had the opportunity of •justification liecause the four games had to.be abandoned. The putting aside of Carr who was regarded as a wonderful choice, has created something of a sensation, but the selectors would have had their reasons and they are the best judges. Certainly uiey would not have erred deliberately for the game is too much of a fetish to take any liberties. We may be sure the selectors would discharge their duties with the fullest sense of their responsibilities and according to their lights will have done the -best possible so that England will place in the field what experts consider is the very best XT. The position may be accepted at that estimate. Tho Australian XI

will be selected with' equal care, bu there fe not the same range of choice and some of the men are now sufferinj from the rigors of the tour. But s: far throughout the matches with tlx best County teams', they have risei superior to all ordeals, and on repu tation should have the best of it. Yei on paper the English team is considered the stronger—certainty in hatting That fact will call for the best and greatest effort the visitors can 'make In that light then, the fifth test match promises to be a real test, and though the result' will not affect the disposal of the ashes which depend on the playing of a rubber, the game itself will he the. deciding factor of the tour as to cricket supremacy for the trip. The game will occasion the greatest interest and excitement in both Great Britain and Australia, while in other climes the public interest will be very great. The stage therefore seems to ho set for a great game, one that will go down into cricket history, and in that circumstance there will he the general hope that the weather asd other conditions wifi permit a straight out fight to a finish, and may the better team win.